Soul Musician Carl Davis Dead At 77 Years Old

by Steven J. Horowitz

Veteran producer and executive Carl Davis left an imprint on Hip Hop.

Chicago, Illinois soul producer Carl Davis passed away on August 9th at his home in Summerville, South Carolina at the age of 77. His death is attributed to pulmonary fibrosis.
During his life, Davis worked with a number of artists including Curtis Mayfield, Jackie Wilson and The Chi-Lites as a producer, manager, scout and record executive. At the Brunswick label, he released songs including Wilson's "(Your Love Keeps Lifting Me) Higher and Higher" and The Chi-Lites' "Are You My Woman? (Tell Me So)," which was sampled for Beyonce's "Crazy in Love."
Davis' effect on Hip Hop was evident. Young-Holt Unlimited's "Soulful Strut," which Davis produced, has been sampled by 2 Live Crew ("Coolin'") and Beastie Boys ("Some Dumb Cop Gave Me 2 Tickets Already"). The Davis-helmed "Tomorrow I May Not Feel the Same," performed by Gene Chandler, was sampled by Reflection Eternal for "Ghetto Afterlife" and Boot Camp Clik for "The Chosen Few (Live for This)."